A New Alliance
by Arynnl
Summary: Rogue just starts opening up again after Self Possessed, when Magneto decides to step in...*UPDATE CHAPTER 2*
1. Homecooking and some Discoveries

-_-_-_-  
  
  
She'd always healed fast. This time was no exception. After several days of bedrest, Rogue was on her feet. Of course it did help that she had Logan's powers to speed up the process.   
  
~  
  
Rogue moved around the kitchen quickly, stirred a pot, sampled it, spiced it and resumed chopping onions, celery and green bell peppers with a knowing air. Cooking was her canvas and her ingredients her paintbrush so to speak. Kitty and Kurt were watching her amazed,   
  
"She's been doing that since we came home from school."  
  
"I never knew zat she knew vat a kitchen vas, let alone how to cook!"  
  
Scott walked in on the scene, taking a bite out of an apple, "Hey guys, what's up?"  
  
Kitty merely pointed at Rogue who was neatly dicing a half a pound of snapper.  
  
Scott joined the group.  
  
~  
  
Rogue hadn't told anyone yet, she was going to tell Professor Xavier first but for now she wasn't letting anyone know. So after she had moved back into her room, she had waited until Kitty was asleep before trying her powers out. She had Kitty's power down to an art, and she found it to be very useful. Kurt's was a little more difficult and harder to practise because of the telltale smell of sulphur. She could use other powers as well, Jean's telekinetics, Bobby's ice, Ororo's weather control, Mr. McCoy's strength, Pietro's speed.   
  
The list went on.   
  
~  
  
Rogue hummed snatches of a soft southern song, while peeling some crawfish tails. She turned to the spice cabinet and pulled some hot sauce out. She liberally added a drop or two then a few more.  
  
By this time the group gathered around the kitchen door was incapable of intelligent speech. They had never known that Rogue could cook.  
  
Ororo made her way through commenting, "Mmm.. is that you Hank? It smells delicious, may I....by the goddess!"  
  
~  
  
She figured that when her powers went on meltdown, they had evolved as well. Those powers were always there, they didn't come and go. She found she could use them now and then, and that her talent with them was growing. She was more worried about getting Scott's lasers and Logan's claws; powers that required control and monitoring.   
  
~  
  
Now that the gumbo was cooking Rogue set the table, started up some biscuits and gravy and generally prepared for the dinner meal.  
  
Bobby called her attention to the crowd, "Hey, Rogue?"  
  
She looked up and stared at the people who had followed the tantalizing aroma of good food to the kitchen, "Yeah?"  
  
"Umm...this is for us, right?"  
  
Rogue quirked her eyebrow, "Well, Ah know Ah eat alot but even Ah can't manage 24 servings of mah own gumbo."  
  
She eyed the clock, before letting out a loud,   
  
"SUPPER TIME, COME AND GET IT!!" which belyed her petite frame.   
  
~  
  
Already she had had several little surprises; she had woken up with six bone claws popping out of her knuckles, which were bleeding, and all of Logan's senses. It overwhelmed her for a little while before she had realized that she wasn't Logan. She had thanked the heavens that her powers required her to wear gloves.  
  
~  
  
If someone had been looking in the window to the newly rebuilt dining room, they would have been able to see a comfortable dinner take place. The whole mansion sat down to Rogue's masterpiece, and, after a moment of silent reflection during which they were able to say grace if they wished, they all began to eat voraciously.  
  
"Rogue, I'd like to thank you for preparing an excellent dinner, it really is quite good."  
  
"Thanks, Professor, just doin' somethin to help out, I guess."  
  
"This is so good, Rogue. I never knew you could cook like this!" said Amara.  
  
Ray winked at her, "And if *I* had known, I'd be looking up the legal marrying age in New York!"  
  
Bobby glared over at him before pouting as he served himself another helping.  
  
"Eye fink itche brely berly choood." Kurt said through a mouthful of homemade biscuits slathered in gravy.  
  
"What?" Rogue asked?   
  
"I zaid, I think its really really good, Rogue."   
  
Rogue smiled.  
  
Bobby interrupted, "Hey look! I made an invention!"  
  
Kitty commented wrily to Ororo, Jean and Rogue, "And here I was thinking you needed a brain to do that."  
  
Bobby glared at Kitty and showed off his 'invention', two biscuits holding a massive load of gumbo and gravy all in one. He took a bite and the gumbo promptly squirted all over his shirt.   
  
"Let's just say it was patent pending."  
  
Once they were done, Bobby and Ray 'volunteered' to take out the dishes while Rogue prepared the dessert. Actually, they had been fighting over the last biscuit which Kurt snatched while they were in a heated discussion about who deserved it, but Ororo thanked them for volunteering.  
  
During the dinner, they were so caught up with the delicious gumbo and biscuits, that they failed to notice the aroma of pies in the oven.   
  
Rogue returned once the dessert plates were set by the still argumentative duo, Ray and Bobby.  
  
She carefully brought out a pecan pie while she had Jean summon her other blueberry one. She asked Scott to carry over some freshly made whipped cream before she started slicing the pies into neat pieces.  
  
The pies went over just as well as the gumbo had, even better in actuality.  
  
Logan mumbled through some pecan pie and whipped cream, "Where'd you learn to cook like this?"  
  
Rogue just rolled her eyes and smiled, "Around."  
  
Logan's question only served to fire Scott's buried curiosity, "And where'd you learn how to drive a snowmobile?"  
  
Bobby also queried, "And a motorcycle?"  
  
Ororo rescued Rogue, who looked uncomfortable with all the personal questions, "Why don't we all go inside and start washing up the dishes?  
  
Rogue eyed Ororo gratefully as she helped clear the table.  
  
~  
  
Someone *had* seen the dining room, and had also seen some other things that interested him very much.  
  
For example when Rogue discreetly phased her napkin through the table and onto her lap.   
  
And when, after they all finished clearing up the dishes she went outside for a "walk" and she teleported to the top of the mansion.   
  
He had watched her for a few moments, she had been practising Bobby's power and making ice sculptures.   
  
Smirking, Pietro raced off, saying quietly, "I think my father might like to know about this!"  
  
~  
  
  
I know I know, you're thinking "ANOTHER FIC? ARE YOU CRAZY? FINISH THE ONES YOU HAVE!"  
  
I will, I just had this idea that wouldn't go away!  
  
Sorry, I'll try and punish my brain by updating more often.  
  
Cross my heart and hope to die!  
  
-Arynnl 


	2. Control

The next two weeks went well for Rogue. She cooked once or twice for everyone and they all agreed that the mansion had never seen such fine food. When she made fried chicken, corn and mashed potatoes which far surpassed any processed garbage that KFC produced, Ray 'proposed' on the spot, causing laughter from most, and jealousy from one certain Iceman.   
  
Rogue was now in a session with the Professor in the Danger Room, working on controlling some of her new powers. The Danger Room looked like a smaller version of the Grand Canyon. There was a large gap between two mesas, where 'Scott', 'Kitty' and 'Kurt' lay injured.  
  
"I want you to concentrate, Rogue. Use Bobby's powers to make a bridge between these two cliffs and rescue your teammates."  
  
Rogue exhaled slowly before she transformed her body into ice. She rubbed her hands together before spreading them apart and started constructing a slippery bridge to the other side.   
  
"Its not wide enough Rogue, make it cover the whole width of the gap."  
  
Rogue spread her arms out more and the ice spread the tiniest bit.   
  
"Bobby, go in and help her, please."  
  
Bobby who had been watching in the control room with the Professor, Ororo, Logan and the team, had Kitty phase him through.  
  
Rogue was struggling with the ice, as she had taken a big step from icing medium sized objects to making large bridges. Bobby came up behind her quietly, in his ice form. Standing behind her, he took hold of her arms and spread them farther apart.   
  
Rogue was a little uncomfortable with the close proximity between them, but she relaxed knowing it was Bobby and he knew to be careful.   
  
"Now, Rogue. You control in the ice, don't let it restrict you. You can do it. If you spread your fingers apart, it'll get the ice to go wider for you."  
  
Up in the control tower the Professor nodded as the bridge was iced the rest of the way correctly,  
  
"Good work Rogue."  
  
Ray glared down at Bobby talking animatedly to each other, and high fiving after Rogue helped 'Scott', 'Kurt' and 'Kitty to the other side.  
  
Jean whispered conspiratorily to Kitty and Amara, "Looks like we have some rivalry going on here."  
  
Amara and Kitty burst into a fit of giggles.  
  
Meanwhile Ororo was talking to the Professor, Logan, Hank and Scott.  
  
"Its amazing that she is able to commandeer that many powers with such control."  
  
Xavier nodded in agreement, "Yes, she really has worked hard in order to control all of these. I think she's been working for the control of her own power. It must be difficult for her not to touch anyone. Have you been able to help with that Hank?"  
  
He shook his head, "No, I'm sorry Professor. I'd have to create something that could regulate the X-gene and its been difficult. But I am making some progress, thanks to Scott acting as my 'guinea pig'."  
  
Scott grinned, "Hey, it was no big deal, it was great to be able to see a color other than red for a couple minutes, even though I did blow the roof off of my room, pass out, and wake up with a killer headache after the stuff you gave me wore off."  
  
The Professor typed in a new scenario, in which several 'men' were trying to make off with a large amount of stolen electronics in the back of their truck. They were frozen for the moment as he debriefed Rogue.   
  
"Rogue I want you to use your telekinetics to stop this truck and apprehend these men." Turning to Ororo and the other leaders he said, "I really believe that Rogue is the key to limitless power, although it is a double edged sword."  
  
Logan growled out, "Yeah cuz now everyone's going to want her on their side, and they're going to try to get her no matter what it takes."  
  
Scott stated, "We're just going to have to make sure that doesn't happen. We'll have to keep someone with her at all times, wherever she goes."  
  
The Professor started the simulation.  
  
The truck roared to life and started driving off down the street. Rogue rubbed her hands together again before raising one hand up to stop the truck's progress.  
  
Rogue was visibly straining as she lifted the car into the air, about three feet above the ground. Slowly she mentally opened one car door, turning the car on its side to dump the criminals to the ground.   
  
The three men started running away from her, down the street.  
  
She let out a cry of frustration, "Oh no you don't!"   
  
Rogue created a box of ice with one hand which trapped the three men while using the other to lower the truck to the ground.  
  
Hank looked on impressed, "Amazing!"  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
"You're positive that she's been working on using these new powers with Xavier?"  
  
"Yes,she'sbeenpracticingeachdaybeforeschool.Icanonlygobyquicklyorthey'dnoticemebuttheyaretoobusywatchingher.Shecanusemorethanonepoweratatimenow!"  
  
"I need her. She's too powerful to waste. Pietro, I want you to go get my good friend Mastermind."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Colussus, Sabretooth."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Da?"  
  
"I want you to find Sage and bring her here to me. I'm going to need her as well. Don't let her argue with you."  
  
The two left without a word.  
  
"Gambit?"  
  
"Yes, mon ami?"  
  
"Retrieve the rogue. I give you four days. That should be sufficient time for you to find out when she's alone and take her. Do not underestimate her, she is very powerful now."  
  
"Don't worry about it homme. Jes leave the femme to Remy."  
  
-_-_-_-  
  
thats it for now!  
-Arynnl 


End file.
